Flight Options Or Asa????

[English]

ENGLISH:


Another........couldn't make it to a 121 job pilot!

Interesting comment coming from a Netjets pilot.

 

[rajflyboy]

Yeppp

 

[Heavy Set]

ENGLISH:


Another........couldn't make it to a 121 job pilot!

Uhhh, I think English flies for Aloha on the 737.

How about we focus on answering the original question... I think Delta might very well file for Chap. 11 protection in order to restructure its debt - and that would be helpful given its $20 billion debt load. I don't see ASA impacted too much - especially given its recent move to SLC from DFW. It seems like ASA is being treated better than Comair in terms of expansion. I don't think ASA would be a bad choice but I don't know much about the upgrade time. I have heard upgrade time at FLOPS can be very long now, and there are rumors floating around that it could (and I stress "could") be acquired by Netjets. That's what I have heard and I don't know how that could potentially impact newhires.

Do you know what you would be flying at FLOPS? If they offer King Air I would definitely go straight to ASA. Good luck and let us know what you choose.

 

[GVFlyer]

Remember This: Your Best Corporate Job is still worse than your worst Airline Job. Flying 121 Rocks! Only thing that really stinks is FO pay at a regional. Other than FO Pay ASA is a 10 times better than any corporate aviation job.


ENGLISH:

Another........couldn't make it to a 121 job pilot!

English is a highly qualified Part 121, Boeing 737 pilot...


If you get the right corporate position you will be paid as much as a senior legacy airline captain used to be paid, fly better equipment to more interesting places, have greater job security and enjoy a better quality of life. You will also develop personal relationships with people who appreciate what you do for them and in many cases be an executive in the parent company.

I assume that ASA, like a good corporate position, has a Defined Benefit Pension Plan, offers stock options, has profit sharing, a bonus plan, a discount employee stock purchase plan, a 401k, a world class health benefits plan and post retirement long term health care. Right?


Your truly uninformed post clearly demonstrates the veracity of this axiom:

The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has it's limits.




GV









.

 

[mmmdonut]

Whats a 121 aircraft?

 

[AA717driver]

Having extensive experience in "121 airplanes", I would say definitely go with the airline job--if this were 1998.

Now, if you start with a commuter, you compete with all the captains at all the other commuters plus military guys plus furloughed airline types like me and my several thousand highly qualified friends for that golden ring of a job at one of a handful of non-bankrupt airlines.

You could gamble that ASA will be one of the surviving commuters down the road and make your bed there. There are worse fates.

Or, you could used your experience at FLOP's to ease into the corporate world. Network at FBO's, don't expect the moon and the stars from this business--let someone else be bitter. You don't have to make your first job your last. I worked at 4 commuters prior to getting my "last" job at TWA.

I believe there is more opportunity for a motivated individual with a positive attitude in the corporate arena. You just need to find a way to get experience to move up.TC

 

[gunfyter]

maybe

but where are the bulk of jobs? Are there as many jobs to be had in corporate aviation?

The jobs I have gotten I got but didn't KNOW anybody... just applied and let the resume do the talking. Can that be done in the corporate world? Perhaps... I did get called by the Chief Pilot at GE after simply sending a resume ... but I did not get hired.

 

[GVFlyer]

maybe

but where are the bulk of jobs? Are there as many jobs to be had in corporate aviation?

I dunno. I can help with the numbers for Gulfstreams:

Total aircraft

44 - G500/G550

190 - G-V

4 - G450

36 - G300/G400

500 - G-IV

200 - G-III

249 - G-II

1223 total jets X 1.5 pilots per seat (normal minimum corporate manning) equals, very conservatively, approximately 3669 Gulfstream jobs.


Part 121, right now, is a very risky proposition. I just read on the ALPA website that Independence is flying with less than 50% loads and is expected to file Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in January. All of the legacy carriers are either in bankruptcy or on the verge of filing with the possible exception of Northwest whose pilots gave up their last raise and just agreed to another paycut of 18%. As of today, top pay at US Air is $145,000. Southwest is beginning to experience mature airline problems and has recently signed a contract with their flight attendants that they can't afford (according to financial analysts). ATA won't be able to make loan repayments in January. JetBlue stock has lost 50% of value in the last six months and no one knows how successful they will be after their sweetheart deal with EADS/Airbus comes to an end.

Bombardier will layoff 2,000 workers in the next nine months due primarily to languishing RJ sales even though Regional Jets are the new airline paradigm.

Tough choices...

GV

 

[gunfyter]

GV

You are right. But can you get those corporate jobs without help from the inside?

 

[spitfiremk8]

For all the Corpoarte guys, keep in mind that the average corporate department (that means not all of them) folds up in 2.8 years (NBAA). I can tell you that I am leaving my corporate job flying a brand new Hawker 800 XP to go to ASA (and did not think about it twice). Not saying that all corporate jobs are bad. Another thing for people wanting to go fly 121: don't wait until you're old! I see too many guys that are good friends of mind that are now past 60 and have regrets that they never tried (most of them).


Just my 2 cts.